


Every Blind Eye (ZaDr)

by snakehands



Category: zadr - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-08-27 00:17:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8380069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakehands/pseuds/snakehands
Summary: This is a story about Zim and Dib's relationship from Dwicky's POV. Of course it wouldn't be the same as everyone else's.Disclaimer: It's ZaDr with mature contents.I don't own Invader Zim or any of it's characters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So one time I read a fanfiction and either the author or a commentor said that Dwicky's name should be Alex. I was like "all right."

Alexander Dwicky had always considered himself a good man. Kind and optimistic; always wanting to help others and make a difference in people’s lives. That is why he became a counselor in the first place. And that is why he genuinely felt that he could help the poor, mentally-disturbed high school boy who was in his office with him right now. Dwicky knew the moment he saw his thick permanent record that he must call the kid in to meet him.

“I am the new school counselor, Alex Dwicky.” He introduced himself. “I’m very happy to meet you, Dib.”

“Okay.” The boy replied, obviously unimpressed. His brown eyes narrowed suspiciously at Dwicky before moving to the window. They darted around quickly as if he was looking for something. 

Dwicky waited in silence, taking in the gangly appearance of his patient. Dib was wearing black pants that were tight in the leg but still somehow loose at the top held up with a thick, studded belt. He had on a black shirt with a long, black trench coat (even though the day was way too hot for it) his boots were way too big and dramatic for the counselor’s taste. The teen was thin and pale and his black hair was a spikey mess. When the boy didn’t continue speaking Dwicky decided to keep going. “I realize that it may be hard for you to trust me since there has been quite a large turnover of counselors at this school recently but I assure you that I intend to stay here for a very long time.”

“Mm-hmm.” Dib hummed. “Good luck with that.” His eyes didn’t rest as they continued to look at anything and everything outside of the counselor’s office. His glasses flashed with sunlight as he angled his face around.

Dwicky wasn’t surprised with this behavior as Dib’s permanent record did say that he boy was endlessly paranoid. Also that he was a social outcast and that he was prone to outbursts and even violence at times. Although most of that seemed to center around one person. 

“So, Dib, the reason I have called you today is because of your grades. I see they have been declining since you’ve come to this school.” Dwicky looked up from his records; Dib was still just silently looking out the window.

“Dib?” Dwicky tried.

“So what?” Dib replied simply.

“Aren’t you thinking about your future? With your GPA it’s going to be very hard to get into college. You’re a senior now; it’s your last chance to bring your grades up.”

No reaction.

“So why don’t you tell me about your home-life?” Dwicky switched topics, sitting back and getting comfortable. There was also a lot of information about Dib’s family in his file and he was already aware of how dysfunctional it was. A lot of the kid’s problems probably stemmed from that sad fact.

“Why? We both know why my grades are bad and it has nothing to do with my family.” Dib said, finally looking away from the window. 

“And why are they bad?” Dwicky changed tactics; if Dib didn’t want to talk about his family then Dwicky wouldn’t pressure the point. He would eventually, but not today.

“It’s all his fault!” Dib suddenly yelled; face quickly becoming red in his sudden anger. “He constantly distracts me!” 

And that was another red flag in the boy’s record: prone to rage reactions. 

“Who’s fault is it?” Dwicky continued, deliberately being vague as he had been trained, trying to draw out what he needed to hear from his patient.

“Zim!” Dib screamed dramatically, hands balling into fists at his sides and coming down on the armrests of his chair with twin thuds. “I know you know about him, he’s in my record, like, a thousand times!”

Dwicky decided to go with this reaction in the hopes to calm the boy’s unprovoked anger. “Yes, I’ve seen his name in there.” He said evenly. “You seem to have some sort of grudge against him.” 

“Grudge?” Dib repeated loudly, “Are you serious? A grudge?!” Dwicky sat quietly and watched the young man stand up and begin pacing, getting more and more agitated with his own ranting. “Grudge isn’t a strong enough word! He comes waltzing into this school like he owns the place, he never pays attention in class, he laughs really loudly at his own jokes, he thinks he’s better than everyone else, he makes fun of me, he challenges the teachers and disrupts the class, he’s a menace!” Dib stopped and looked through the window again. Dwicky found himself wondering if it was Zim that Dib was actually looking for. “AND he’s an alien bent on taking over the Earth but NO ONE believes me! So ya, I have a bit of a grudge against him.” With that Dib sat back down in the chair he had recently vacated and pierced Dwicky with his strange golden-brown eyes. 

Dwicky had to clench his teeth not to waver at Dib’s intense gaze. He could see how unstable the boy was; he appeared to be trembling and breathing hard after his little tirade. Dwicky could see the red veins at the corners of his eyes and his hair was even messier now than it was when he had come in. There was no sound but the quiet ticking of a clock for several moments.

“So the Principal said that you just came back from suspension for kicking Zim in the head.” Dwicky said slowly.

“Yes, and I’m not sorry so don’t even try to make me apologize.” Dib said with a smirk. He did, in fact, look pretty proud of himself.

“Okay. Why did you kick him in the head?” Dwicky asked.

“Because I’ve kicked him everywhere else on his body and that’s the only weakness I’ve found, he’s covered in an exoskeleton or wears some kind of armor under his clothes or something.” Dib explained. “I got him right in the lekku.” Dib continued, pointing to the side of his head. “He went down hard.” 

“I meant why did you kick him at all?” Dwicky clarified, wondering what ‘lekku’ meant. 

“Oh, because he kept scratching me. Look at my arm!” Dib pulled up his sleeve for Dwicky to see the damage; there were quite a few nasty-looking, scabby scrapes decorating it.

“So why was he scratching you?” Dwicky continued after making a note in Dib’s file. 

“Because he’s short and stupid and jealous that I am taller than him.” Dib explained. “By, like, a lot!”

“And this was during your PE period and you were . . .” Dwicky thought back to the conversation he had just had with the principal a few minutes ago. “Playing basketball?” 

“Ya.” Again Dib seemed to lose interest in the conversation and again his eyes went to the window, squinting. Dwicky stood and pulled the curtains to keep the boy’s attention. 

“Well, why don’t you ask to switch to different classes?” Dwicky asked, sitting back down in his comfy chair. “I see on your schedule you share almost all of them.”

“I can’t do that.” Dib replied, annoyed that he could no longer search for his enemy outside. “Someone needs to watch him.” 

“Because he’s an alien?” Dwicky joked.

“YES! He could hurt someone with his evil plans, he’s done it before!” Dib said, suddenly his eyes were very bright and hopeful behind his corrective lenses. “You believe me that he’s an alien?”

“Well I can see that you believe it.” Dwicky evaded. “I haven’t even met him though; I’ve only seen the picture in his file.”

“Did you notice he’s green?!” Dib yelled. His voice cracked with the strain.

“It says that’s a skin condition.” Dwicky returned. 

“What kind of skin condition makes you green?!” Dib yelled, jerkily flipping back the curtain so he could look out the window again.

“I had never heard of anything either so I looked it up.” Dwicky answered gently, not wanting to anger the boy even more by contradicting him. “It’s called ‘Hypochromic anemia‘ and it’s actually condition of the blood –“

“Does it cause your ears and nose to fall off too?” Dib said testily. “And to grow antenna on your head that you have to cover with a really bad wig?” 

Dwicky went silent at this. Dib was getting more agitated and they were talking too much about someone else – this therapy session was supposed to be about the boy here right now, not his sworn enemy. He opened his mouth to redirect the conversation when the bell suddenly rang out. “Looks like first period is over. You should head to your next class.” Dwicky said instead.

“Yeah, right.” Dib said, swiftly getting to his feet and marching to the door. Dwicky got up as well to see him out and was surprised by just how tall the young man is – he hadn’t really been able to tell when he was sitting but Dib was obviously over six feet in height. 

“See you soon.” Dib said cryptically and looked carefully down each side of the hallway. Only when he was satisfied that Zim wasn’t lurking around and waiting for him did he step out of the office and start walking to his next class.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Dwicky clicked on another link that had been offered to him from his internet search engine. “Symptoms of leprosy.” Dwicky read out loud. His eyes scanned down the list provided and he shook his head. “It can cause the nose to fall off . . . but the main symptom is disfiguring skin sores, lumps or bumps . . . no, that doesn’t seem right, his skin looks pretty smooth.” He closed the window and began another search. 

“Mr. Dwicky, I am sending a student down to you.” His intercom buzzed. 

He pushed the red button. “Ok, Principal McNally.” He said into it. He quickly clicked out his computer search and set it to the desktop. 

“His name is Zim and I, uh . . . apologize in advance.” McNally said quickly then the intercom clicked off.

Dwicky was surprised that he was already meeting said boy when he had just been speaking of him last period with Dib. He wondered how many times these boys were sent out of class for misbehaving.

There was a loud knock at his door, announcing that his new patient had arrived. “Come in.” He said easily, pulling up Zim’s permanent record on his computer. 

The door opened slowly about halfway and then stopped. No one entered. Raising an eyebrow in bewilderment Dwicky saw a green face peek in after a few seconds; large eyes looked back and forth for any threats. “This kid’s even more paranoid than Dib Membrane.” Dwicky thought. He looked down at the first page of Zim’s record. “Even more paranoid than Dib Membrane.” It said at the top.

Dwicky jumped in surprise when the door was suddenly flung wide open and hit the wall behind it. Dwicky grimaced slightly when he noticed a big hole in the wall where the doorknob hit it and wondered how long it had been there, and if Zim was the one who originally created it with that same kind of entrance. 

Zim came in swiftly then, slamming the door shut behind him. He was wearing a pink shirt with thin black horizontal stripes, tight black pants, black boots that went to the knee and black gloves that went to his elbows. His hair was also black and almost as messy as Dib’s was. He immediately went to the window and drew the curtains closed. Then he looked at the ceiling, floor and all of the walls carefully. Only after that initial inspection did he direct his vision to Dwicky. The counselor noted the sharp, violet eyes and just like with Dib found himself a little uncomfortable with the look he saw there.

“Hello –“

“Shh!” Zim hissed, cutting off Dwicky’s introduction with a quick chopping motion of his hand. He marched over to the desk and yanked out the cord to the phone. Next he pulled the cords out of the intercom and computer just as harshly. “Ack!” Dwicky yelped when his computer screen went black. 

“Give me any hand-held electronics that you have.” Zim demanded, holding his gloved hand out. His voice was high-pitched and nasally, which Dwicky supposed matched Zim’s appearance: Dib was right, he was very short. 

Dwicky looked at his cell phone that was sitting on the table a few inches from his hand. Zim’s eyes followed his and he noticed the device as well. They both went for it but Zim was just a bit faster. “Hey –“ Dwicky yelped. 

“Scan complete, no recording devices detected.” Zim said crisply and sat down in the chair across Dwicky’s desk. “I have been sent here by Principal McNally.” He said, staring unblinking at the counselor. “Do you speak for her?”

“Uh, yeah.” Dwicky replied, a little put off by Zim’s aggressive demeanor. “Can I see your referral slip first?” He held his hand out and Zim handed over the small paper.

Dwicky read it over and sighed. “Disrupting class: fighting with another student and disrespecting the teacher.” 

Zim stayed perfectly still, back ramrod straight and gaze unwavering. 

“Okay, let’s start with the second part. What did you do to your teacher?” Dwicky asked, putting the referral down and lacing his fingers together. 

“I merely told her that her teaching is bad.” Zim explained brusquely. Dwicky remained quiet and this time his silence technique was rewarded as Zim broke it. “She did not appreciate my critique and that is an error. My technique was obviously superior.” 

“Well, be that as it may.” Dwicky said carefully, immediately sensing that this student needs his ego treated gently, probably because of some deep down insecurities. “It is wrong to interfere with a teacher’s lesson during class.”

“She was wrong to disregard my input!” Zim said, voice rising in volume. “Don’t you think that as a figurehead representing knowledge-transfer these so called ‘teacher’ drones should give the most efficient and accurate lecture possible? Zim was only trying to help.”

“Well she isn’t just a ‘figurehead’.” Dwicky explained, knowing that his comments would probably not be taken to heart. “She has authority over her class and she isn’t a drone either. Teachers work hard and deserve respect.” 

“Respect?” Zim said with a sneer. “Of course. I will surely reform my behavior.” With that he pulled the curtains away from the window to peek out, then let them fall back in place.

Dwicky doubted that Zim would follow through with that declaration, as he had almost as many red flags in his file as Dib did, many of them being labelled ‘disrespectful to teacher.’ 

“Good.” Dwicky said anyway. “Now, fighting in class?”

“I suppose that ‘fighting’ is what we were doing.” Zim affirmed. “If you want to be inaccurate and hyperbolical.” 

“So what would you call it?” Dwicky asked while thinking to himself that this kid liked to use strange words.

“Interacting.” Zim said sarcastically. 

“And were you ‘interacting’ with Dib Membrane?” Dwicky asked, and suddenly wish he hadn’t. 

Zim’s face immediately morphed into a suspicious scowl. “Why do you speak of him? Are you in cahoots? Is this a trap?!” 

“No, of course not!” Dwicky tried, knowing that he had probably just destroyed any hopes of this boy ever trusting him. “I just see his name in your file a lot –“

“I will not speak to someone who conspires with the enemy.” Zim said, green face pinched and angry. “Whatever punishment you deem appropriate for me will be accepted; otherwise I am finished with you.” Zim stood up and puffed his chest out, clearly communicating the finality of his decision. 

“No punishment, Zim.” Dwicky said, somewhat deflated with this failure at this meeting. “You can go back to class.” 

Zim actually saluted then stiffly walked out of the office. He left the door open behind him.

“I should have handled that better.” Dwicky said to the empty room. He looked down at the chair that Zim had just vacated to see his cellphone, it was all crunched up.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

About an hour later Dwicky saw Dib Membrane walking down the hall outside his window during class. He was about to go out and confront him for skipping class when the student abruptly turned right and went into the Principal’s office. A few moments later Dwicky could hear their muffled voices through the thin walls. He made a mental note to ask Principal McNally later why he had been sent there.

After a few minutes Dib came out and went back the way he had come, back to class. “Hmm.” Dwicky hummed to himself, going through the student’s permanent file as far back as it went. It seems that Zim had transferred to Dib’s class in the fourth grade. At that time Dib had been top of his class and though he didn’t have many friends he was still described as a normal little boy. Very quickly, however, his file started filling up with discipline problems and falling grades. Dwicky then pulled up Zim’s file and saw that right off the bat he was described as having an attitude problem, however Zim was a straight A student then and still is to this day.

A few more hours went by and the bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch. Immediately students began to exit from their classrooms, however Dwicky noticed through his window that they all hugged the walls – no one ventured into the middle of the hallway. They all looked a little bored, like they were waiting for something.

Then came the sound of yelling and loud, quick echoing footsteps. Zim flew by his office, laughing uproariously. Just a few steps behind in quick pursuit was Dib, red face showing the strain of keeping up. Only after they had passed did the students begin to venture into the hallway, going to their lockers and meeting up with friends to share their lunch period with. Obviously they were all familiar with the two troublemakers and acted as if they didn’t even notice them.

Three hours later and Dwicky’s work was interrupted again. He opened his door and looked down the hall to see one of the teachers throwing Zim and Dib out of class by their collars. “You, sit here and stare at the wall!” She screamed at Dib, pointing at the wall next to the door to class. He turned and did so, accompanied by very loud laughter from Zim. “You, sit there and stare at that wall!” She pointed to the wall across the hall. Zim sauntered over to it nonchalantly, acting like he was just taking a stroll. “Don’t turn around, don’t look at each other. DON’T TALK TO EACH OTHER!”

The door slammed shut and Dwicky continued to watch the two. It only took a few moments before they both stood, turned, and started arguing across the hall. It was quiet at first, Dwicky couldn’t make out any words, but it escalated quickly. 

“Shut up, Zim! You’re going to make her come out here again!” Dib yelled. 

“Don’t tell me to shut up, you filthy dirt maggot!” Zim returned, just as loudly. “It’s your fault we’re out here to begin with.”

“What?” Dib shrieked. “Who was the one who kept interrupting the teacher?”

“You!” Zim replied, making a dramatic gesture with his hands.

“It was you!” Dib argued. “It’s always you!”

“LIES!” Zim shrieked. 

Dwicky jumped in surprise when Zim turned and punched the wall he was standing near. The crunch of the cracking cement had him waiting for the wailing from the student – surely he had broken his hand. But there was nothing. Zim merely scraped out a chunk of the wall and hurled it directly at Dib. “Arrgh!” He screamed. 

Dib was fast enough to evade it, barely, and it crashed into the window, leaving a pretty impressive spider web network of cracks in the safety glass. There was a second of complete silence; the two looked at each other with expressions of surprise. 

“Zim! Dib!” The teacher’s voice yelled from inside and both boys took off in different directions. Zim ran past Dwicky faster than Dwicky had ever seen anyone run, and then swiftly turned left into a different hallway. Dib sped off towards the parking lot. They were both out of sight by the time the teacher opened the door and Dwicky doubted either would be coming back today. 

The teacher bent and picked up the rock that had made the damage to her window, then brought it in with her back into class. Class ended shortly after the incident and then it was time to go home. 

Dwicky turned away from his door and began collecting his things. “Looks like this will be an interesting year.” He said to himself then turned out the lights and locked the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an experiment. I have 4 pages of this fanfic I started writing a while back and I am stuck. I have a few vague ideas of some more things still to happen but I don't really know how to flesh it out. If anyone wants to make suggestions how to end it and add to my idea, or if anyone has a better idea let me know! It's not anything spectacular but I would like to finish it. Also, ideas for a title would be appreciated too.

Dwicky came into his office feeling pretty optimistic on his second day at work. He pulled out the planner he had bought last night, intending to review the observations he had made on Dib Membrane and Zim . . . “What is his last name, anyway?” He said out loud.

Dwicky pulled up his school record on his computer. There actually was no last name on it; it was just filed under ‘Z’ for ’Zim’. He also noticed that Zim had no emergency contact form; there was no information on his parents. 

So the counselor decided to go see the Principal. He walked over to her office but saw her in the teacher’s lounge on the way, sipping on coffee. 

“Hello, Principal McNally.” Dwicky said casually, helping himself to a cup of coffee as well. 

“Good morning, Alex. Please call me Candice.” She said, smiling. 

“Okay, Candice.” Dwicky said with a small nod.

“Sorry about sending Zim to you yesterday, I just really couldn’t handle seeing him at the moment.” Candice said, looking into her cup as she stirred the contents.

“It seems he gets into trouble a lot, him and Dib Membrane?” Dwicky pried. 

“Oh God, yes. I’ve never had such problem students.” She confirmed, finally looking up. “I don’t know what it is with those two. I’ve told all of their teachers not to send them to my office anymore unless they get violent but they still do it. Dib I can handle but Zim just drives me . . . I don’t know how many of my phones he’s broken!“ She stopped herself, forcing herself to relax her shoulders since they had tensed up while she was discussing these students. “Anyway, expect to be seeing both of them a lot this year.” 

“That’s fine.” Dwicky smiled to himself. “I think I can help them.”

“Help them in what way?” Candice questioned, taking another sip of her drink.

“Help them to get along.” The counselor answered happily. 

The Principal laughed into her cup, obviously incredulous. 

“You don’t think I can?” Dwicky replied lightly, a little offended but trying not to show it.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s nothing against you, that’s just impossible. Many have tried before you.” The red-haired woman replied. “None have succeeded. Some made it worse.”

“Well then why don’t we separate them entirely? They wouldn’t be able to fight if they weren’t in all of the same classes.”

“NO!” Candice barked. “Alex, I know you want to help but you’ll soon find that it is better with them like this. They keep each other occupied and out of everyone else’s business. They are more disruptive apart, especially Zim.” 

“But what about Dib’s grades?” Dwicky tried. “I know he’s smart, it’s not fair that he should fail all of his classes because of someone else distracting him.” 

“Sacrifices must be made.” Candice mumbled under her breath. 

Dwicky wasn’t sure if he heard the woman correctly but he decided to ask her about what brought him here in the first place. “So I noticed that Zim’s file is incomplete. Like his emergency contacts and any information on parents -”

“Oh, yeah.” Candice said, putting a hand to her head and rubbing at it. “He has several missing documents, and we don’t even know if he has parents. He’s never gone on any field trips – no one ever signs the permission slips.” 

“Well, I mean, isn’t that information required?” Dwicky said, noting how Candice was looking a little tired all of a sudden.

“Normally yes, but in this case . . . I’m sorry, will you excuse me? I have a headache coming on.” With that Principal McNally turned and exited the lounge, heading straight for her office. Halfway there she turned on her heel and looked back. “If you want to see what you’re up against you should watch them during PE – that’s when they are at their worst. They both have it first period.” With that she closed herself into her office.

“Okay.” Dwicky said to himself, happy with this challenge of ending the feud between Dib Membrane and Zim . . . whatever his last name is.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Alex Dwicky climbed the bleachers in the gymnasium up to the top row and sat himself down, squishing himself up into the corner. They were hard and uncomfortable but he wanted to be as far away from the students filing in as possible. Ideally no one would even notice he was there. The gymnasium is huge but there is an echo that made it easy for Dwicky to hear everything that was said down below.

“Okay, stand at the line here.” The coach said, pointing to the out of bounds line on the court. Students dressed in white sleeveless shirts and navy blue shorts complied, forming a loose group under one of the basketball hoops. The coach looked at his watch and cleared his throat. The man was large and obviously in great shape and radiated authority, though at the moment he remained silent. The students all looked mildly annoyed and then what Dwicky expected to happen did. 

Zim slowly came into the room alone – he definitely noticed Dwicky up in the bleachers. His wide eyes seemed to take in everything. He walked over towards the group stiffly but stopped a few feet behind everyone, standing at attention. He was dressed down in navy blue sweats – their winter uniform. It was a warm day so Dwicky surmised that the boy liked to keep all of his skin covered, which made sense to him since it was such an unusual color. Underneath the loose material he could see that Zim was still wearing his black boots and gloves.

“Zim, come join the group.” The coach said, pointing to the group of kids. 

“I will stay here.” Zim replied loudly. There would be no problem hearing his voice from way up in the back of the room. 

“Join the group. We are going to start picking teams.” The coach contradicted. 

“I do not wish to join the group!” Zim countered, rooted to the spot. The silent students were looking between the two as they spoke to each other, just waiting to see who would win this argument (it was usually Zim).

Dib came through the doors next, late again since he insisted on dressing down after everyone else had vacated the locker room. He whapped Zim sharply in the head as he walked by the smaller male then joined the class at the baseline. Dwicky noticed several students step away from him though the boy himself seemed not to care; his gaze was focused on the little green guy who was currently rubbing his head where he had been smacked.

“I won’t say it again, Zim.” The coach said, wiping a hand across his forehead in annoyance. “Join the group so we can pick teams.” 

“NO!” Zim screeched. 

“Come on, dingus.” Dib said, approaching said dingus. Zim cringed back a little bit but seemed to catch himself, then he stood up as straight as he could, defiant. “He doesn’t want to stand with us because he’s so short that his head is close everyone’s armpits.” Dib announced, grabbing Zim by the upper arm and dragging him over to the group. “Take a whiff!” He said and released Zim’s arm. Dib then raised his arms above his head and pretended to stretch, though deliberately leaning in Zim’s direction.

“Zim is not short!” Zim yelled, stepping back several paces to get away from the hairy armpit. “And you are disgusting!”

“Shut up, both of you!” The coach ordered. “Everyone, put yourselves in groups of 2!” 

Dwicky was not surprised to see no one approaching Dib. He was surprised, however, to see a few students approach Zim. He figured this was due to the fact that, despite his horrid attitude, Zim was probably good at sports. Dwicky has seen firsthand how fast and agile he is. Dib just seemed the typical awkward, nerdy kid who hadn’t filled out yet. He was tall but other than that Dwicky didn’t expect he would be very good at basketball.

Of course Zim declined every offering with a growl. At the end of it only Zim and Dib were left, partnerless. The coach rolled his eyes at them then just paired them up together. 

“We’re playing two on two – you each get half a court.” The coach put two teams of two at each court around the gym. The two students who were put with Zim and Dib didn’t look very pleased about it.

“I’m not playing on the same team as him!” Zim yelled unhappily, pointing his finger right into Dib’s face. Dib swatted the offending hand away.

“Switch partners then, I don’t care. You 4 are playing together and I don’t want to hear any more about it!” The coach yelled, voice cracking with stress.

“Fine.” Zim said, facing the other 3 students on the court with him. “You are on Zim’s team.” He said, pointing to the only girl of the group. She looked back at her friend who just shrugged, then stood beside her new teammate just to get the game going. Zim and Dib just glared at each other intently. 

“Head’s up.” The coach yelled and tossed them a ball from the bag. It was thrown perfectly to Zim and he reached out for it, but right before he caught it Dib’s tall frame jumped up in front of him and snatched the ball out of the air. Zim stomped his foot. “I had that!” He complained.

“Too short.” Dib replied with a smile then walked behind the baseline. In their PE class games were not started by jump balls since they were playing half-court with several other teams all around them. Instead they started by throw-in. Dib’s partner hunched down a little bit and prepared to catch the ball. 

Dib pulled his arms back over his head and launched the ball in the air, right at Zim. It hit him in the head with a loud thunk! then bounced away across the gym. The poor little guy fell back onto his butt from the impact. 

“Insolent fool boy!” Zim screeched, on his feet in seconds. Dwicky was impressed by the kid’s resilience but he did notice that Zim was swaying a bit. Dib just laughed while Zim’s partner went to get the ball. 

This time it was the girl’s turn to throw the ball in to start the game. She gently tossed the ball in Zim’s direction and he narrowed his eyes at the ball like he hated it. Right before his hands made contact with the rubber; however, Dib swatted it away and stole it again. Zim growled in frustration and ran after him. Dib attempted to make a basket but right as he was about to shoot Zim went down and swept his feet out from under him. The gangly teen went down gracelessly on his hip and the ball rolled away down the court again. 

Zim went after the ball this time and as he ran Dib came up behind him, kicking at Zim’s heels and making him stumble. He didn’t fall but it was definitely a struggle to get where he was going. He grabbed the ball with a victorious smile but Dib grabbed it away again, then hurled it down the gym. As far away as they were Dwicky was amazed to see the ball swish through the basket, nothing but net!

Dib smirked at his competition then took off back down to their court. He grabbed the ball out of his partner’s hands, who had caught it after the basket, and threw it up again effortlessly. It went through the hoop and Dib caught it again as it came back down. Zim came skidding into the game and knocked the other player out of the court, who went down onto his hands and knees. Now it was just Zim and Dib. 

Dib held out the ball to Zim, who reached out for it suspiciously. Of course at the last moment Dib lifted his hand so that it was above Zim’s head. Zim jumped for the ball but Dib easily held it out of his reach. Zim was relentless and Dwicky saw after a few more jumps how Zim scraped his nails down Dib’s arm. The bleeding was immediate and profuse. “Ow, damnit Zim!” Dib yelled and dropped the ball to cradle his arm. Zim scooped it up greedily. “I told you to stop doing that!” 

“Victory for Zim!” The other boy yelled. He went to make a basket but missed. Dwicky realized that they didn’t care if they were playing the game correctly or not; they just wanted to one-up each other. No one else existed in their little world but each other and their never-ending rivalry. Dib felt someone bump into him from behind and saw that it was a player from the court next to them. He quickly plucked the ball out of her fingers and again threw it at Zim’s head. 

“Hey shorty!” Dib yelled at the perfect moment and Zim turned to retort, only to be smashed in the face by another ball in the exact same place as before. This time he didn’t fall down but he dropped his ball and put his hands to his rapidly-bruising face.

“Stop doing that!” Zim yelled. 

“Why? I thought you were faster than this.” Dib said, obviously thrilled with his victory. Dwicky decided that he had been wrong: Dib seemed to have pretty good aim – if he applied it to sports maybe he would be a good athlete. 

Dib stooped and picked up the ball that Zim had dropped. He threw it at Zim’s head again, harder than the last time – he was happily anticipating the thumping sound it made every time it made contact but this time Zim was ready for it. He reached out lightning quick, to Dwicky his hands just looked like a blur, and held his hands out in front of his face. There was a loud poomf! sound as the ball was impaled on his fingers. Even through the gloves his nails were sharp enough to pop it. Zim was left standing on the court with the ball wedged firmly into his claws.

He shook the ball off of his hands and stormed up to Dib angrily. Without warning he grabbed Dib and hefted him above his head. Dwicky was amazed to see this display of strength and watched, mouth agape, as Zim tossed the taller boy into the bleachers with ease. Dib screamed as he flew through the air and hit hard; Dwicky felt the impact all the way down at the other end of the gym through the bleachers, immediately concerned. Everyone had stopped playing to watch the fight.

“Zim!” The coach screamed then came storming up to the smaller student. Zim puffed his chest out proudly, not about to apologize for his behavior. The coach held up a huge, meaty fist as if he wanted to punch Zim in the face, which he probably did. “Four laps around the gym, NOW!” With a final growl in Dib’s direction Zim took off running.

Zim passed Dwicky but didn’t look at him. Dwicky could see the anger and embarrassment on his face but also something else, though he couldn’t for the life of him guess what that complicated expression entirely meant.

“Dib, is anything broken?” The coach asked as Dib climbed out of the bleachers. The teen was rotating his right arm around in the socket. 

“No, my shoulder broke my fall.” He joked lamely.

“Go to the nurse’s office, NOW!” The coach yelled. 

“What? I just said I’m not hurt.” Dib insisted, watching Zim circle around the courts.

“I don’t care where you go, just get out of my sight!” Coach said, losing his composure. Dwicky wondered how he’d kept it this long. 

Dib gave the coach a sour look then started walking to the exit. He passed by Dwicky with a quick glance and just as Zim’s had been Dib’s expression was a strange mixture of conflicting emotions. 

 

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Dwicky leapt down the bleachers. Zim had finished his laps (well before the end of class) and then simply left the gym to get dressed. The coach just let him go, not even looking at him as he passed. The counselor was jotting down some thoughts into his planner as he walked, headed toward Dib and Zim’s next class, which was history. 

Surprisingly when he exited the gym he saw Dib waiting by the door to the locker room, already dressed in his day clothes. Dwicky was not surprised that he hadn’t gone to the nurse.

Dib looked anxious and Dwicky assumed that the boy was uncomfortable because Zim was currently unsupervised and Dib considered him to be dangerous alone. It didn’t take long for the smaller male to exit the locker room though, also re-dressed. Zim immediately gave Dib a very unhappy look and walked away. 

“Zim, wait!” Dib shouted, following. Dwicky frowned and followed, far behind. 

“What is this?” Dwicky wondered. Looking at Dib’s posture: hands out in front of him palms up, hunched forward and looking into Zim’s face while rambling non-stop . . . it looked like he was trying to apologize but Zim would have none of it. His head was down and he was marching silently (for once). 

They reached the classroom soon enough. The previous class was still inside so they both stopped by the door to wait for first period to end. Dwicky stopped far down the hall and watched. Zim and Dib seemed to be speaking to each other quietly and there was no way Dwicky would be able to hear them so he just jotted down a few more notes into his planner before snapping it closed.

Then the bell rang, finally signaling the end of first period, and Zim and Dib waited patiently for the students to leave the classroom before entering themselves and taking their seats, next to each other by the window. Dwicky entered the room through the rear door and stayed at the back of the class, again hoping the boys wouldn’t see him. But of course they both did – they were so observant! Dwicky conceded that he would probably never be able to hide from them.

The rest of the class settled in their seats and the final bell tolled – time for class to begin. Dib and Zim immediately began arguing with each other but at least it was quietly . . . at first. As the lesson went on their voices became louder and then escalated to pushing each other.

“Zim, move over to that seat!” The teacher ordered, pointing to a desk at the other side of the room. 

“Why should I have to move? He started it!” Zim questioned, sounding very childish. 

“Just do it.” The teacher insisted, turning back to his PowerPoint presentation. “Now we are up to the 6th president of the United States, Quincy Adams, and his Vice President John Calhoun.” He clicked on the next slide and a picture showed up of the Vice President in question. Not a very flattering picture; his face was flat and square-shaped with a very prominent chin. His hair was also strange: long and swept back like a lion’s mane. He had dark wrinkles and bulging eyes making him look dirty and old (and a little deranged).

“Ha! He’s almost as ugly as you, Zim!” Dib immediately laughed out, interrupting the lecture. 

Zim growled at the comment but didn’t retort, surprisingly. Dib snickered. The lecture continued and Dib’s laughter did too, getting louder and louder until Zim could no longer take it.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a picture of your mother unit, stink-beast!” Zim yelled. The entire class gasped together as one. “Oh wait, that can’t be her. I forgot she’s a big, smelly, stupid Squishsquatch – that’s why you’re always searching for paranormal creatures, because she is one! She’s so elusive because she doesn’t want you to find her!”

Silence . . . 

Dib stood up and walked over to Zim’s desk. “What did you say?” He said, voice deep and tense. 

Zim stood up to his full height (5’3” at the most), and even though Dib towered over him he held his ground. “I said your mother unit is –“ 

“Both of you get out!” The teacher interrupted. “Into the hallway. Out!” 

Dib stormed out the door and Zim followed, looking quite pleased with himself. As soon as the doors closed Dwicky saw through the window that the two boys immediately began fighting. He was worried for Dib, even though he was the bigger of the two Zim obviously had some Martial Arts training. The counselor could tell by the way he held himself and how he was able to block Dib’s punches and kicks. Strangely enough, though Zim was only on the defense, he was not retaliating at all. And he was laughing quite loudly.

Dwicky vacated his seat and exited the room. By the time he had gotten out Dib and Zim had resorted to wrestling with each other on the ground. 

“Come to my office, boys.” Dwicky said to the mass of tangled limbs. Two sets of eyes looked up at him and then at each other guiltily.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an experiment. I have 4 pages of this fanfic I started writing a while back and I am stuck. I have a few vague ideas of some more things still to happen but I don't really know how to flesh it out. If anyone wants to make suggestions how to end it and add to my idea, or if anyone has a better idea let me know! It's not anything spectacular but I would like to finish it. Also, ideas for a title would be appreciated too.

“You both know I went to your first two classes today.” Dwicky began once everyone was settled down in his office. It had taken several minutes for Zim to first unplug his electronics and confiscate his new cell phone, then the two teens argued about opening or closing the curtains and then they argued over who gets to sit by the window and then they argued that the chairs they were in were too close to each other but then it was too cold by the window and then - finally Dwicky had had enough and interrupted them loudly and told them to quiet down.

“I think I can help you two get along.” Dwicky continued optimistically. “Or at least tolerate each other quietly.”

“Uh yeah, that’s not happening.” Dib answered immediately. Zim merely snorted laughter at the statement just as the Principal had earlier.

“Okay, then I am going to separate you.” The counselor told them. “Completely.”

“You can’t!” Dib interjected immediately, as Dwicky knew he would. “I told you, someone has to watch him at all times!” 

“I think you should give your teachers more credit.” The counselor replied dryly. “And I don’t think he’s an alien intending to take over the Earth. He’s just as normal as any other kid in this school.” 

“No, he isn’t - !” Dib argued back. 

“I’m sorry, Dib but I think you’re the bigger problem here.” Dwicky said as gently as he could. “It seems you start the altercations. Your attention centers on Zim all the time, it’s as if you’re obsessed. You keep picking on him, Zim merely retaliates.”

“Yeah, Zim is not at fault.” Zim said haughtily. 

“Don’t think you’re off the hook.” Dwicky said, turning to the green boy. “Your reactions are way more than is necessary. You should use your words or go to a teacher, not go throwing people around like a WWF wrestler.” 

Dib snickered loudly at that. 

“Shut up, primate!” Zim hissed at Dib.

“Lizard.” Dib insulted back with a lingering grin.

“Okay, Dib, I can change all of your classes except for math.” Dwicky resumed. He pulled out a piece of paper that he had written Dib’s new school courses on and held it out to Dib. The teen did not even look at it. Dwicky just set it down on the table in front of him. “There is only one pre-calculus class, so you will have to share that. But for the rest of the year you two are going to ignore each other.”

“Nope.” Dib said simply at the exact time Zim said. “Not gonna happen.” 

“I know it’ll be hard. You two have been this way since Elementary school. That is why we are going to practice right now.” Dwicky pulled out a stop watch he had brought from home. “I want you two to look at me – not at each other. We are going to sit here together quietly and calmly for one full minute. Understand?”

Dib immediately started laughing. Both Dwicky and Zim stared at him impatiently. “I’m sorry, but Zim can’t shut his fat mouth for more than 10 seconds.”

“I can too!” Zim snapped. “And Zim’s mouth isn’t fat!”

“No way.” Dib continued laughing. “Watch.”

“One . . .” Dib counted.

Zim blinked.

“Two . . .” 

Zim frowned.

“Three . . .” 

Zim curled his lip.

“Four –“

“Stop it! Your voice is annoying!” Zim squealed, putting his hands in his hair.

“Jeez, Zim, you didn’t even make it halfway.” Dib said victoriously. 

“How can I be silent when you are talking?! That wasn’t a fair test!” Zim claimed. 

“Ok, I’ll be quiet too.” Dib grabbed the timer from Dwicky’s hand. Again to Zim and Dib they were the only two people who existed in their world.

The timer beeped as it was turned on.

. . . . . . . .

“What does this prove anyway? It’s stupid!” Zim interrupted. “Zim speaks loud so everyone can hear him! Everything I say is important!”

Dib rolled his eyes dramatically. “Told you.” He said over his shoulder to the counselor. Dib showed him the timer that he had just stopped: 3 seconds.

“Ok, so since that won’t work let’s try an exercise to help you get along.” Dwicky decided. “Zim, you will go first.” 

“Of course I will, I am the most important.” Zim said happily. Dib grinned when he saw Dwicky close his eyes for a few moments before opening them again, as if calming himself down. Zim was getting to him.

“Dib, face Zim and say one nice thing about him.” Dwicky instructed. 

Dib immediately blanched. “What?” He croaked out.

“Oh come on, shit-weasel. You have many things to choose from.” Zim said teasingly.

“Watch your language.” Dwicky said off-handedly. He was speaking to Zim but was still watching Dib. He was surprised to see the student looked physically ill but he was determined to make these kids complete this exercise. 

“Well, uh . . . “ Dib started, obviously being careful how to word his answer. “You think . . . very highly of yourself.” 

Zim scowled at the compliment at first, probably wondering if there was a double meaning behind it. But then he just accepted it at face-value and sat up straighter in his chair. “Yes, Zim is very confident in his greatness. Good job for noticing.” 

“I suppose that was okay.” Dwicky said, turning to Zim. “Now you do it.”

“No.” Zim said immediately. “There is nothing good about that.” He flapped his hands in a dismissive way in Dib’s direction.

“There are plenty of good things about Dib.” Dwicky insisted. “I can think of 10 right off the top of my head and I’ve only known him for 2 days.” 

Dib perked up at this. “Really?” He said hopefully, as if no one had ever said anything so nice about him in his entire life. 

“Of course.” Dwicky responded with a smile. 

“Thanks.” Dib had a stupid, lopsided grin on his face and Zim rolled his eyes at it with a scoff.

“I’m sure you could think of 100 good things right off the top of your head about me though, yes?” Zim said. He was trying to look cocky but Dwicky could see the need for affirmation in his expression. 

“Of course, Zim.” Dwicky agreed, giving a knowing look to Dib who subtly shrugged. Dwicky was also getting used to Zim’s transparent bravado. “Now please, just say one nice thing about Dib.” 

Zim closed his eyes and thought. He grunted and groaned, strained and massaged his temples. He opened his mouth only to close it and put his hand to his chin. He shifted in his chair and opened his mouth again then closed it, shaking his head. 

“Just say something already and stop making such a show of it!” Dib yelled, feeling insulted with Zim’s charade. 

“Fine, sheesh.” Zim said. “You are slightly less repulsive than anyone else in this wretched school.” 

Dib deadpanned at the comment. “That’s probably the best you’re gonna get out of him.” He said emotionlessly to the counselor. Zim beamed, quite happy with himself. 

“Okay, you do it again Dib-stink.” Zim said eagerly. “Tell nice things to Zim!” 

“No way.” Dib said. “Not after your lame answer.” 

“It was not lame! There are just no good things about you!” Zim defended himself. 

“Yeah, you said that already.” Dib replied, crossing his arms and sinking down in his chair. 

“Wow Zim, I thought that since you’re so great and everything that you’d be good at this game. Guess I was wrong.” Dwicky said.

“What?” Zim replied darkly. Dib looked up at Dwicky sharply.

“Dib’s right, that wasn’t a very good compliment.” Dwicky said nonchalantly. “And here I can think of 10 better things you could have said.” 

“Zim is best at everything!” Zim yelled, standing up and pointing at Dwicky impudently. “If you can think of 10 things then I can think of 11!” 

Zim turned to Dib, his face was flushed blue in competitiveness. He started counting each compliment on his fingers. “One: you are resourceful. Two: you are tenacious. Three: you are devious. Four: you are independent. Five: you are smart. Six: you are resilient.” Zim ran out of fingers so he had to start over. “Seven: you are brave. Eight: you are tall. Nine: you are stylish. Ten: you are attractive. Eleven: you are a perfect –“ Zim stopped abruptly, mouth open in mid-praise.

Dib was staring up at the other student with wide eyes, completely dumbfounded by everything that he had just said. “Um –“ Dib started then Zim just snapped. He jumped into Dib’s lap with a roar and clawed at his chest and face. After years of dealing with Zim’s unpredictable temper Dib was always on alert for just this type of thing and he swiftly grabbed Zim around the wrists before too much damage was done. Unfortunately, Zim’s momentum kept his chair flipping back. At the last minute Zim jumped away and stormed out of the office, Dib went down onto the floor with a thump. Dwicky immediately came over to help Dib up.

“Shit.” Dib said, accepting Dwicky’s offered hand. 

“I’m sorry, Dib, I had no idea he would react like that.“ Dwicky said lamely.

“Oh really?” Dib snapped sarcastically. “Don’t act stupid - you’ve seen how he is!” Dib said, annoyed. “Look, I know what you were trying to do but I really wish you hadn’t. He knows you tricked him and now he’s royally pissed at me.” 

“He’s pissed at me, not you.” Dwicky said.

Dib gave him a miserable look, saying nothing. He picked up his chair that was still lying on its back and set it up on its feet again. With that, the teenager walked out of the office without a backward glance.

Dwicky looked down at the mess that was left of his office. He looked at Zim’s chair and on it was his new cellphone, again all crunched up. “Should have expected that.” He sighed.

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It was after school but Dwicky was going over Zim’s and Dib’s files again. He knew he wasn’t doing his job very well – these are the only children he has focused on. He hadn’t even looked at one other student’s files or made any appointments to speak with anyone else. All he cared about right now was these two particular students. After he got Dib on track to improving his grades he would see to other things, but not just yet.

He tapped his pen on his desk while he studied the entries. “Huh.” He mumbled to himself, tracking the dates on a calendar he had pulled up online. He tracked the dates again, just to be sure and it confirmed his findings. He smiled, suddenly very impatient to speak to Zim tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an experiment. I have 4 pages of this fanfic I started writing a while back and I am stuck. I have a few vague ideas of some more things still to happen but I don't really know how to flesh it out. If anyone wants to make suggestions how to end it and add to my idea, or if anyone has a better idea let me know! It's not anything spectacular but I would like to finish it. Also, ideas for a title would be appreciated too.

“So Zim, I’ve noticed a pattern in your behavior.” Dwicky said excitedly when he finally had the green boy in his office again. Zim was sitting with one leg crossed over the other in his usual chair, hands laced primly over his knee and back perfectly straight. He was relentlessly staring at the counselor. He hadn’t bothered to unplug his electronics or even close the curtains, and when he had come in the room he hadn’t done his preliminary inspection; just stormed in and plopped down in his usual chair. 

Dwicky was wondering what his response would be to this discovery, but Zim merely kept staring at him, no change in his demeanor or expression whatsoever.

“Look.” Dwicky said, turning his computer screen to Zim. “Going back to the beginning your problems were ‘disrespecting teachers, disrupting class, arguing with Dib’ . . . nothing about violence. That starts in the 8th grade right here.” He pointed to a date on the screen. “Then again here.” He pointed to another date. “Three weeks apart, then it happens for a few days in a row.” Dwicky looked up at his patient and saw Zim blink disinterestedly. “Then again, seven weeks later for a few days, and again 11 weeks after that. Then it starts over again with three weeks, seven weeks and eleven weeks . . . all the way up to present day.” 

Zim glared at him, impatient now, and still tight-lipped. “Why three, seven, eleven though? What’s the significance?” Dwicky asked, he knew he was onto something.

. . . . . . .

“Are you going to say anything about this?” Dwicky cried after a few moments of frustrating silence.

“Yes.” Zim growled through his teeth. “There is no pattern. You are grasping at strings.” And with that he would say no more. 

After several minutes of trying to get any more words out of the kid and failing Dwicky just told him he could go back to class. “And it’s grasping at ‘straws’.” He said as the student walked out of his office, leaving the door open as he always does.

“Well that was a bust.“ Dwicky thought. "I wonder if I'll get more out of the other one."

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“So what do you have to say about this obvious pattern?” Dwicky asked Dib. Dib was being just as quiet as Zim was but his face was so much more expressive. While Zim could seem devoid of emotion, Dib became pale and twitchy. His eyes darted between the computer screen and Dwicky’s face then down to his hands that were fidgeting in his lap.

“I don’t see a pattern.” He lied. 

“Oh come now, you’re smarter than that.” Dwicky baited. Dib lowered his head more, hiding his eyes behind his bangs and the weird lock of hair that always seemed to stick up in the front. 

“Did you ask Zim about this?” Dib asked, not looking up.

“Yes.” Dwicky answered, wondering why Dib's voice was suddenly so tense.

“Damnit.” Dib said under his breath. Dwicky saw his hands become fists and squeeze. “Dwicky please don’t pursue this.” Dib said, raising his head. His almost golden eyes were set and grave. “It won’t end well.” 

“What are you saying?” Dwicky said, almost feeling like he’s being threatened. 

“Zim is uncontrollable even by his own leaders. He is immoral and ingenious and his evil schemes may be silly most of the time but they can also be very dangerous.” Dib answered, gathering his things.

“Evil schemes?” Dwicky said with a bit of a laugh.

“Yes, evil. Do you remember ‘Ultra Peepee’?” Dib asked, very serious now.

“You mean that cute hamster?” Dwicky replied. He hadn’t lived in this town at that time but he saw it on the news.

“Yes, he was cute.” Dib conceded. “But it was Zim that made him grow to unnatural proportions. It was a stupid plan, but Peepee killed a lot of people during his rampage. I’m sure you remember that.” 

Dwicky did remember. By the time the government was able to contain the monster (by shooting him into space) over 300 people had lost their lives and thousands more were wounded. 

“No other counselor has ever been able to change our relationship and neither will you.” Dib reminded him, echoing what Candice had said to him yesterday. “I will take care of everything tonight. Tomorrow Zim will be his usual annoying, but un-violent self. I promise. Just stay out of our way.” 

With that warning Dib stood up and walked out the door, closing it behind him. Dwicky actually found himself a little freaked out by both the demeanor of the boy and what he had said. “Both of these kids are insane.” He said to the empty room.

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“Zim, where have you been all day?” Dib’s voice suddenly came through the thin walls, it was after school and they were at their lockers. Dwicky held his head up from his research to listen. 

“I know you two are conspiring against me!” Zim accused huffily. “Zim will not be tricked by the likes of you and some stupid, stupid man! I don’t know what you are trying to do but you will not succeed!”

“Wait! Don’t run!” Sounds of scuffling followed then stopped, Dwicky assumed Dib had grabbed Zim who had struggled for a little bit then gave up. “I’m coming over tonight.”

“No!” Zim cried in response. “I will never let you in!”

“I’ll break in, you know I can.” Dib said. Dwicky frowned – is Dib stalking Zim?

“I have made upgrades to my security system.” Zim retorted. “The gnomes will stop you.”

Dwicky didn’t know what that meant but the tense silence drew out for several seconds. “Zim, I know you want me to come over.” Dib’s voice was very quiet this time.

“I do not want you in my house!” Zim shouted. “If you come over tonight I will kill you!” And with that he ran off. Dib groaned then took off in what sounded like the same direction. 

Dwicky chewed on his bottom lip for a minute, thinking about what he had just heard. After a few seconds of pondering what he should do he pulled up Zim’s file. He was surprised to see that there was an address in it, and it wasn’t very far from his house. He quickly wrote it down on a post-it and stuck it in his note-covered planner. There was no way around it, he was going to have to watch Zim’s house and see if Dib really came through with his threat and try to break in. 

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And so Dwicky found himself sitting in his parked car outside of the weird green-glowing house at the end of a court. He had thought the address was strange when he saw it: 309 ½ Round Road Court. Now that he saw how the house did appear to just be squished in between two large apartment complexes it made sense. 

It was getting dark and Dwicky started to think this idea was stupid and considered leaving. He laughed at his own paranoia and reminded himself that kids exaggerate and lie all the time, how could he have let himself take Dib’s threats so seriously? He was just about to turn the key in the ignition when he saw a dark figure running up the court in front of him. 

The figure was entirely clad in black, even a mask covered his face, but Dwicky could tell by the height and the way he was moving that it was Dib Membrane. He sunk down in his chair a bit, not wanting to be seen, but remained just high enough so that he could watch what the boy was about to do.

Dib hopped the fence and walked about halfway up through the left neighbor’s yard. There were two rows of garden gnomes in Zim’s yard and the ones closest to Dib swiveled to watch him. The other ones swiveled around in all directions, ready in case that was a diversion. Dwicky now knew what Zim meant when he said “the gnomes will stop you.”

“How creepy.” Dwicky muttered as Dib climbed up onto the fence between the neighbor’s and Zim’s front yard carefully. The gnomes continued watching, unmoving. 

Suddenly Dib jumped into Zim’s tree and shimmied up as high as he could quickly. Again the gnomes followed him but didn’t shoot. “Still programmed to not shoot the tree, huh Zim? Sloppy.” He heard Dib say jovially. When the boy was as high in the tree as the branches could hold him he steadied himself and jumped quickly over to the house. Dwicky watched in alarm – there was nothing for him to grab onto! The gnomes followed the movement with their heads and this time they open fired. Red lasers shot at him and grazed his limbs, but he was not hit.

Dwicky was relieved, in a way, to see he was wrong about there being nothing to grab onto. Dib managed to claw into the small, round window at the very top of the house: the attic window. He had to keep moving between the laser blasts and quickly opened the window and slipped inside. “Not locked?” Dwicky murmured. “Strange.” 

Dwicky knew at that point he needed to warn Zim of Dib’s entering his house. He quickly jumped out of the car and raced up the path to Zim’s door, hoping the gnomes would not shoot him. They did not but again they swiveled and watched him at every step. “Oh God, so creepy!” He thought distastefully as he walked up to the front door. He decided to peek through the window first before knocking and only saw darkness inside. Suddenly Dib dropped down almost soundlessly on his toes and fingertips from the ceiling. He definitely looked like he’d done this before. He quickly ran over to a side table and to Dwicky’s amazement it lifted up the wall and the legs folded back. Underneath it was revealed an elevator and Dib jumped down into it without hesitation. After he disappeared down it the table lowered back into position.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mild sex scene

Alexander Dwicky considered himself a brave man. Growing up he never gave in to peer pressure and followed his dreams his own way. He stands up for himself and others, confronts noises in the middle of the night and kills spiders he finds in his house. But there is just something about this creepy, little green glowing house and these even creepier garden gnomes staring up at him that had him very uncomfortable, and maybe even a little afraid. However, he didn’t want Dib to get in trouble with the law and because of this he needed to take care of this situation himself. 

“Zim?” he called, more quietly than he had intended to. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Zim, I must speak to you.” 

Dwicky jumped back two steps when he heard two sharp knocks on the closed door from the other side. “Zim?” he tried, stepping back up to the door. A rapid succession of several knocks followed. “Okay.” Dwicky said, then knocked himself just once. 

The door flew open and a little greenish yellow dog-like creature hopped into the doorway. It stood on two legs staring at him silently. Dwicky blinked at it. “Why is everything around here so buggy-eyed?” He thought, trying to forget about the gnomes behind him. 

Dwicky noticed then that the thing was vibrating. “Um, are you a dog?” He muttered unsurely.

It’s head slowly spun around in a complete circle. Then it opened its mouth and said. “Woof.” 

“Fetch Zim, okay?” Dwicky tried.

“He’s downstairs.” It whispered excitedly. Dwicky startled at the remark – this is no dog. “Masta’s always downstairs, except when he’s not.” 

“Down the elevator?” Dwicky pointed to the side table. The creature followed his finger and saw what he was indicating.

“That’s a table!” It yelled cheerily. “I like you!” And with that it flung itself at Dwicky with a screech. The wirey man was able to dodge and the little guy landed on his face on the cement path. He felt bad for it at first but then it started laughing like a lunatic. 

“HAHAHAHAHHAHA!” He said and stood back up. It swiveled to look at Dwicky again and saluted him. Suddenly flames started to shoot out of its feet and it rose into the air. “WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” It shrieked as it flew straight up and out of sight with a trail of smoke.

“That was weird.” Dwicky said to himself, turning back to the house. “I’m gonna need some Ambien when I get home.” 

He peeked his head into the dark living room. “Zim?” He tried, knowing that he wouldn’t answer but feeling the need to try again anyway. He tiptoed into the house and crossed to the table-elevator. Kneeling down he knocked on the floor beneath it, hoping that Zim would hear it and come up to see who had come over. After several seconds of nothing he knocked again. Nothing. 

So he decided he had to go down where he had watched Dib disappear to earlier. He pulled at the table legs and tried to pull it up the wall but to no avail. He kicked it and pushed it and sat on it, still not finding the secret of how to open it. “Open!” He grunted while again trying to pull up on it and it actually obeyed.

It was narrow but Dwicky knew he’d fit, barely. He stepped onto the platform and it dropped him down just as he had seen it do for Dib, into darkness.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The door swhooshed open and Dwicky stepped out of the dark elevator into a dark room. He jumped when it abruptly closed behind him and zoomed back up to the top floor (he assumed by the sound), waiting for the next passenger. He swallowed with a click of his throat and made his way over to a wall. When he felt it he noticed that it wasn’t a regular, smooth wall, but was covered (or perhaps made out of) several tubes and cables of varying textures and sizes. 

He didn’t know why but it made him reluctant to touch them but he had no choice. So he felt along the wall until he heard some tapping noises. Straining his eyes he could see a very dull light coming from several yards in front of him. “How big is this basement?” He wondered then headed toward the light, hoping that he wouldn’t trip over anything. But he did, of course – more cables and tubes lined the floor like tree roots and he ended up crawling until the tapping became louder and the light brighter. 

He stopped when he saw some kind of computer console and sitting at the helm was Zim. Well, he figured it was since all he could see past the comfy-looking computer chair was his right hand, tapping on the keyboard. Dwicky frowned when realized for the first time that he only had three fingers. On the monitor above him Dwicky saw strange characters and wondered what language Zim was writing in.

The tapping stopped and for a moment there was no sound. Then Zim’s nasally voice said: “How did you get in here?” 

Dwicky opened his mouth to answer, feeling embarrassed that he had been caught crawling around on the floor or a student’s house in the dark. But another voice cut him off before he could. A voice he was getting very used to hearing.

“You left the attic window unlocked again.” Dib said, walking into the light and stopping next to Zim’s chair. Zim ignored him for a bit, going back to typing in his strange language. “And I told you I’d be coming.”

“And I told you I’d kill you if you did.” Zim said nonchalantly, finishing up whatever he had been working on and closing the window. 

“You always say that.” Dib said with a smirk. “But you never will.”

“What makes you so sure?” Zim asked, swiveling to look up to the taller boy. 

Dwicky gasped then slapped a hand over his mouth. He stood up and clumsily fumbled his way over to the wall again to lean against it, trying to make himself as invisible as he could. Zim did not look like how Dwicky knew he should; he looked other-worldly for lack of a better term. “There is no way this is fake.” He thought as he looked at Zim’s huge, molten red eyes. They had no pupils or eyelashes and were not covered by eyebrows either. Dwicky knew he didn’t have a nose or ears but it was made more obvious by the fact that now he had no hair either, and just as Dib had mentioned before he had two long, black antennae sticking out of the top of his head, twitching and swiveling around. “He had called them ‘lekku’.” Dwicky’s stunned brain recalled, “And I didn’t know what that was. Well now I certainly do! I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

“I will give you one chance to get out of my base.” Zim was saying confidently. “Or you will be sorry you came.” 

“No.” Dib replied, just as cocky. “And I am not sorry I . . . came.”

Dwicky wondered if Zim was really in trouble right now, they seemed to just be role playing or something. “Is that what they have been doing all along?” He wondered.

Suddenly Zim jumped up and pushed Dib away from him. Dib stumbled back several paces but didn’t fall. Obviously Zim hadn’t used all of his strength. Dib chuckled deep in his throat then came at Zim full-force. Zim grinned as four long, metal poles extended from his backpack and slammed down around him, making a protective cage. Dib skidded to a stop in front of it.

“No fair using PAK legs.” Dib said, obviously annoyed by this trick. Zim merely laughed. 

“Giving up so easily? You waste my time, Human; my attention is too precious for a quitter.” He said merrily. “And a whiner too.”

Dib’s face broke out into a huge smile. “I am no quitter.” He said and shed his trench coat for the first time Dwicky had seen. Beneath it on his own back was a metal backpack just like Zims, except smaller and flatter. It looked like an updated, slicker version of the backpack Zim always wears. What did Dib call it . . . a PAK? Dwicky wondered what it really was, because it was obviously not full of text books and pencils like he had earlier assumed.

Dib pulled out three grappler hooks from his own PAK. Zim sneered at him but crouched down in a fighting stance. “This is not role playing anymore.” Dwicky feared. He did not like where this was going but he was frozen to the spot, unable to look away or stop it. 

Dib attacked first; shooting one grappler and latching on to one of Zim’s spider legs. He tugged on it, trying to pull Zim off balance. Zim ran forward and kicked him in the gut, using his PAK legs as leverage. Dib went down as the breath was knocked out of him. With a scoff Zim picked the wheezing teenager up, like he had that day during PE, and tossed him easily across the room.

Dib flew several yards before hitting the wall with his hands as he tried to stop himself and sliding down to the floor in a heap. He coughed for a few seconds but then the cough morphed into a dry laugh. 

“Do you need me to play with no PAK assistance?” Zim asked condescendingly. 

“That would be nice, yes.” Dib answered, standing and wiping away blood from his mouth; he had bitten his tongue. Zim’s smile widened at the sight, almost impossibly so.

Surprisingly Zim pulled his spider legs back into his PAK. “Hmph, I don’t need them to kill such a wimpy Human as you.”

“Wimpy?” Dib said. Then he pulled his grapplers in to make himself a little more streamlined and launched himself at Zim. He was able to get close enough to throw some kicks and punches, but of course Zim’s defense was as effective as always:

Punch, punch . . . block, block.

Punch, kick, kick . . . block, block, block.

Dib was getting annoyed by now; Dwicky could see the veins on his forehead pulsing with effort.

Punch, punch, kick - kick - kick, punch . . . block, block, block- block - block . . . hit!

Zim twisted as he fell back from being punched in the lekku, determined not to land on his PAK. Dib quickly grabbed his wrist as he went then hauled him back up. Zim was disoriented by the quick movements and Dib had just enough time to push his back up against the wall. 

“Dib-shit.” Zim gasped, shaking his head. “That hurt.” Dib laughed through his nose and gently took the throbbing lekku into his mouth. Dwicky blinked in confusion as Dib ran his tongue down the stalk to the base. Zim made some kind of buzzing sound at this treatment. 

Dib was so distracted by his ministrations that he was not prepared for Zim to quickly raise his head and bash it into his Dib’s chin. He stepped back, hand going to cradle his face that was already turning red. “That’s sure to bruise.” Dwicky thought stupidly.

“Ow!” Dib yelped, then pierced Zim with a very heated glare. 

Zim raised a brow-ridge and shrugged innocently as if to say: “You mad?” 

Again Dib came at the smaller male with a series of punches and kicks. Zim dodged each one, still backed up against the wall he had less space to maneuver but he was so incredibly fast that most of Dib’s throws landed on the wall behind him anyway. 

“Argh!” With a huge grunt Dib grabbed Zim by the shoulders. For a split second Dwicky saw Zim’s face show surprise and then Dib was throwing the little guy over his shoulder and to the ground behind him. A loud clang sounded as Zim fell onto his PAK and his back arched awkwardly, Dwicky winced in sympathy at the pain he must have felt from that. 

Zim reached up and ran his nails down Dib’s chest, tearing through his shirt and drawing blood. Dib hissed in pain and reared up but didn’t remove his body weight from the dangerous alien. He had him pinned beneath his straddled legs and wasn’t letting go for the life of him. 

Zim snarled and gnashed his teeth and Dib laughed, leaning his hands on Zim’s slight chest and pushing down. “What are you going to do now, Space boy?” He said.

Zim reached up and grabbed the Human by his hair. Next he used his PAK legs to help boost him up and he wrenched Dib to the side, successfully throwing his smaller body on top of him. Dib reached up to Zim’s face but Zim snapped out with razor-sharp fangs. He caught Dib’s hand in the air and held onto it for a few moments, relishing the blood that came running down Dib’s arm in rivulets. Dib tried to pull his hand away and finally Zim let go. Dib looked at his hand, very surprised – it was a bloody mess. “What the Hell, Zim?” 

Zim made a loud buzzing sound, looking pleased with himself. “That was for punching my lekku.” Zim explained.

Dib grunted and tried to push Zim up and off of him but it was half-hearted. Zim flashed his fangs, which caused Dwicky to shiver, and plunged them down into Dib’s neck. Dib cried out in pain. “Is he a vampire now too?” Dwicky thought absently, watching as Zim literally drank down Dib’s blood. 

Dib moaned and choked as Zim bit at his throat over and over. Zim withdrew his PAK legs and could easily be thrown off now but the Human didn’t do that. “He must be getting weak from blood loss!” Dwicky realized.

Zim pulled up with a groan and his mouth seemed to be . . . smoking? Zim wiped his lips of red blood and beneath it were scorch marks. His tongue was sizzling in his mouth. “Your blood is like acid!” He yelled. Dib did not reply and Dwicky became very concerned. Just as he was about to reveal himself from the darkness Zim yelled in a gruff voice:

“You deserve this!” Zim reached for Dib’s belt buckle and undid it, tugging at his pants savagely. Zim was able to pull them down without unbuttoning them since Dib was so skinny. He pulled them completely off, boxers and all, and threw them somewhere over his shoulder. Next he ripped Dib’s shirt in half and exposed his heaving chest. He growled then sunk his fangs into Dib’s left pec. Dib gasped loudly.

Zim made his way all over Dib’s body, biting at the pale skin. The moans and groans Dib made sounded tormented– Zim was devouring him right before Dwicky’s eyes. Zim finally came to rest at Dib’s crotch and Dwicky could have sworn he looked up and right at him. Zim had no pupils so he couldn’t be sure and it lasted only a moment but he gulped at the thought, fearing he was next. However there was no more hesitation and Zim chomped down on Dib’s cock.

“No!” Dwicky thought and raised his hand to finally intervene. But just as he was about to run out he heard the most unexpected sound he could have imagined:

“Ah, yeah!” Dib signed and put his hands to Zim’s head gently. Dwicky blinked several times before he understood what Zim’s bobbing head meant. 

“Oh.” He actually mumbled out loud, face turning red at the scene unfolding before him. After a few moments of this Zim came up for air and laid his small frame on top of the taller student. He started slithering his long, strange tongue all over Dib’s bloody chest and Dib sighed in happiness. 

“It feels so good when you heal me.” He said breathlessly. Zim chuckled and moved next to heal Dib’s neck and face.

“Your blood candies taste so good.” Zim said, whisps of steam coming from his mouth as he spoke. “But too much hurts me.”

“I know.” Dib replied, putting his hand gently to Zim’s cheek. Zim leaned into his hand. “I’m sorry.” 

Zim noticed that Dib was cradling his other hand still, as injured and bloody as it was. He delicately pried it away from the Human’s body and brought it to his mouth. Looking at Dib he ran his tongue around each finger, down his palm, then back up again. He sucked on each fingertip before he could no longer take the burning Dib’s blood apparently caused. He jerked and shook his head, more scorch marks visible on his lips. He looked down at his lover contritely.

“It’s okay.” Dib said, pulling his already healing hand away, though the medicinal Irken saliva was not applied evenly. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” 

“Shall we continue now?” Zim said cheekily. 

“Oh yeah.” Dib conceded eagerly. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The love-making went on for hours. They argued as they coupled, just as they argued with each other every day at school. Zim wanted to go fast, Dib wanted him to slow down. Zim wanted to scratch and bite, Dib wanted to caress and kiss. Zim wanted to curse and talk dirty, Dib wanted to coo and whisper sweet nothings. Zim wanted to dominate, Dib let him. 

Apparently it was good because both came several times. They took turns topping each other and Dwicky was red and embarrassed that he had even come at all. He was sweating and his feet were getting sore from standing so long as they just went at each other again and again. He eventually quietly sat down and laid back against the wall to wait it out.

And finally they were finished. The pair held each other close for several minutes. Zim seemed to enjoy rubbing his lekku through Dib’s hair. Dib didn’t seem to mind it; he was too busy running his hands up and down Dib’s thin body. They shifted and then started having a mini war with their hands, slapping and wrestling. It wasn’t long until the two began shoving each other. At that point Dib stood and started to gather his clothes with a frown.

“Do you really have to destroy my clothes every time?” He said, holding up the bloody rag that was once his favorite shirt. 

“I hate that shirt.” Zim said unabashedly. He too stood and gathered up his discarded clothes. They had come flying off at one point in the middle of riding Dib. He seemed to be having a problem finding his left boot and his face showed his annoyance. “Where is my boot, Human?!” He growled.

“I don’t know, you threw it!” Dib retorted, zipping up his pants and fastening his belt. At least he was half dressed. 

“An Irken solder would never just ‘throw’ his boots around!” Zim returned. “You did it!”

“I did not!” Dib said but he was laughing.

“You won’t get away with this! I will sneak into your base sometime and steal your left boot. Then you will not laugh at Zim!”

“Okay, bruh, you do that.” Dib said, walking toward the elevator that had brought him down here to begin with. Dwicky actually closed his eyes as the youth passed so he didn’t know if he was seen or not. 

It was silent as Zim watched the Human leave. After he rose up and out of sight Zim smiled crookedly and laughed to himself, going right to his computer console and pulling his boot out from under it. “Had he known all along?” Dwicky wondered. “Like he . . . just enjoys fighting with Dib?”

Zim was completely dressed now and leaned against his computer console. He winced a bit when his backside hit the table and Dwicky knew exactly why. “Computer.” Zim called out, inspecting his gloves for dirt. ”Capture the intruder.” 

Dwicky’s eyes grew wide in terror before all of the lights went on. He had been right, the room was huge and the walls did seem to be made out of electronics. The tubes he had been leaning on in the dark came to life and came for him, twining around his body and crushing him tight. 

“Pervert.” Zim’s voice said right next to him and Dwicky turned to see his liquid eyes up close. They were beautiful yet terrifying and he didn’t even get a cry for help out before he was knocked unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

Dwicky woke up gradually. Several times he heard noises and surfaced a little bit, then submerged back down into the darkness of unconsciousness. The noises all warped around in his head and made him have strange dreams that he wouldn’t remember after he awoke.

When he finally did awaken it was in an instant. He was submerged in liquid and was drowning. He tried to thrash, but he was restrained. He tried to scream but his mouth only filled with the thick fluid. He sputtered and choked as it gurgled down his throat and infiltrated his lungs. Tears came forth then, springing from his eyes that were squeezed shut in terror and agony. His lungs were burning for air and he could no longer handle the pain; Dwicky passed out again.

Dwicky awoke again an unknown amount of time later. His body had seemed to adjust to the gel and was breathing it in and out easily. He opened his eyes and saw only green haze. Looking around was futile as the gel was obscuring his vision. Then he heard a click and the ooze began to drain away from him. After blinking several times he could see he was in a capsule, securely cuffed at his forehead, neck, elbows, wrists, waist, knees and ankles. When the sludge was completely drained he felt a big heave come up from deep in his chest. He coughed and snorted, spitting out the fluid and choking on it again and again as it kept coming up from his lungs and stomach but he couldn’t double over. Finally he was able to take a deep breath of air and instead of being a relief, it only caused him more suffering – it burned as his poor abused lungs inflated.

“Help!” He rasped out. “Somebody help me!” He tried to struggle again but he couldn’t budge an inch. His cries for help dissolved into weak groans and terrified whimpers.

“Are you quite finished?” a familiar voice asked. Panting harshly Dwicky was only able to rotate his eyes toward the sound and of course the origin of the voice was Zim (whatever his last name is). 

“Zimwhat’sgoingonghelpmewhereamI?!” Dwicky’s words all slurred together in his rush to get them out all at once. Zim merely stared at him, emotionless.

It took Dwicky a few moments to notice that Zim didn’t look like himself and then everything came rushing back: Zim is some kind of alien bent on taking over the Earth, Dib has known all along and tried to warn the Human race but no one believed him (not even Dwicky had). He had been watching the two students for days now trying to figure out how to bring them together only to find out the two were fucking in Zim’s basement. It all sounded so ridiculous when it clicked in his head.

“Let me go.” Dwicky demanded once his racing thoughts had settled. “I won’t tell anyone about you, I promise.” 

“No.” Zim answered quickly and turned away. Dwicky tried to turn his head and follow him as he walked out of his vision but could not. He spit out some of the gel that had lingered in his throat (it tasted terrible), and tried to look around bit in his cell for any chance of escape. “Of course you will tell someone about me. Zim is not stupid.”

“I won’t, I swear.” Dwicky opposed. “I don’t care if you’re an alien or if Dib’s your enemy or your lover, I just want to go home.” 

“Dib-Human is my mate.” Zim said and came back into his line of vision. “Not my ‘lover’.” Although Dwicky was frightened of Zim’s strange appearance he was soothed by the presence of another. This basement was dark and foreboding.

“What’s the difference?” Dwicky asked without thinking.

“An Irken lover’s purpose is to sooth. A mate’s purpose is to provoke.” Zim answered. “That is what stimulates us to become receptive.”

He was confused by this answer when some of the gel dripped into his eye. He blinked several times irritatedly before blurting out. “What’s with the gel?!”

“Sterilization.” Zim said, looking at him with his wide, molten red eyes.

“You mean to clean me?” Dwicky asked. “Why?” 

“Humans are disgusting.” Zim replied. “And should not be allowed to replicate.” 

“Whatever.” Dwicky said, at the time not grasping what that truly meant. “Just let me go, okay?” 

“You don’t even know what I’m going to do to you.” Zim teased.

“What are you going to do?” Dwicky asked then, swallowing thickly when Zim held up some kind of clamp. Again he was revolted by the gel still coating his mouth and throat. 

Zim said nothing, bringing the clamp to Dwicky’s face. He put one hand on his forehead, though it wasn’t needed to keep his head in place since he couldn’t move if he wanted to (which he really did right now), and brought it closer and closer to his right eye. 

“NO!” Dwicky began to squirm and it wasn’t long before he was reduced to merely grunting and crying out nonsense again. 

“If you don’t like it, you should never have interfered.” Zim used his left hand to force open Dwicky’s tightly shut lids and jammed the device into his eye. The claws of it held the lids apart and Dwicky’s brown blood-shot orb was entirely exposed and vulnerable to Zim. “Then you delivered yourself right into my lair.”

“Stop!” Dwicky pleaded. “It hurts, what are you doing?” 

“Of course it hurts.” Zim chuckled, bringing a very scary-looking tool over to his frightened captive. “I’m about to rip your eye out.” It looked very much like a drill but the tip had a small claw at the end. “Now look straight ahead or I may inadvertently damage it.” Zim flipped the switch and the machine whirled to life, spinning dangerously. Zim grasped the eye roughly and yanked, pulling the eye out by the nerve and twisting it until it came apart. The pain was horrendous but Dwicky’s screams couldn’t be heard by anyone.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

“HELP! HEEEEEELP!” Dwicky screamed for the life of him. “I’m trapped here by an alien! It’s going to kill me, somebody help me! Dib can you hear me?!”

Nothing.

“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!” His screams were beginning to quiet down, either because he had abused his throat too much or because he had exhausted himself yelling. Perhaps both. 

Zim came marching into the room stiffly. “You startled me with your stupid yelling – it ruined my surgery!” He yelled at the discouraged man. 

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Dwicky answered sarcastically. “Guess you’ll have to let me go then.”

“It’s too bad for you; that eye will never see again.” Zim retaliated. That quieted the other man down. “Now I need to harvest your other eye.” Zim said.

“You can’t take both! I’ll be blind!” Dwicky screeched, again trying to squirm out of his restraints though he had no hope of ever doing so. He just couldn’t help himself, even though his movements were chafing his still-damp skin.

“Well maybe you should have thought of that before you started screaming like a shameful Thrombonian.” Zim came at him again with the clamp that he had used earlier to pry his other eye open. 

Dwicky had no idea what a Thrombonian is and at the moment didn’t care. He squeezed his eye shut for the life of him and Zim struggled getting the tool in. “Open your eye!” Zim hissed through his teeth. 

“No! NO NONONONONONONONONONONONONO . . . !“ Dwicky started chanting the word like a mantra. 

Zim stopped struggling and took a deep breath, wiggling his buzzing lekku to rid them of the annoying chanting. “Fine! Zim can show mercy if you cooperate.” 

“Mercy?” Dwicky asked, opening his eye just a little bit. 

“I’ll use anesthetic drops this time.” Zim conceded, annoyed with the Human’s resistance. “And I’ll be more careful.”

“Really?” Dwicky said, very aware that he really didn’t have much of a choice and this was actually a pretty good deal for him - he knew the alien would get what he wanted eventually.

Dwicky opened his eye all the way and searched Zim’s face for sincerity. He found that he didn’t know what that looked like on the alien features and had to just believe Zim would stay true to his words. Struggling would only make injury to his remaining eye more likely so he would have to remain still this time no matter how horrible the experience was.

Zim turned and went to a cooling unit that was under his computer console. Really it was just a small refrigerator that Gir used for snacks but Zim had a few things stowed away in it as well, and one of them was anesthetic eye drops. He used these for himself frequently after removing his uncomfortable, itchy Human contacts.

He came back and held the small bottle above Dwicky’s face, somewhat impatiently. Dwicky looked up and allowed Zim to put a few drops in his remaining eye. He closed his lids then and blinked a few times, spreading the numbing solution all around. “Do I need to use the clamp again or will you stay still this time?” Zim asked.

“I’ll try to stay still. That clamp is . . . unpleasant.” Dwicky answered bravely. Zim actually grunted in approval at this boldness and took the claw off of the tip of the drill tool from before. He gently inserted the pointed tip into the side of the orbit of Dwicky’s eye and slightly tipped it to the side. Dwicky noticed that Zim wasn’t turning the machine on this time; he was using it for leverage to pop the eye out just a bit. A small cable came out of his PAK and slithered into the space that he made and worked its way to his optic nerve. He felt an uncomfortable pressure but no pain.

“What are you doing?” Dwicky whispered, afraid to move even one millimeter. 

“Injecting nanites.” Zim said. “They will carefully sever the optic nerve instead of me just ripping it out like last time.”

“Oh good.” Dwicky replied. “What are you doing with the eye?” Dwicky asked worriedly. He didn’t even feel it as his eyesight went black and the eyeball was scooped gingerly from his head. 

“Never mind.” Zim answered. “But you won’t be blinded. Thank you for your cooperation.” He actually said before disappearing into his lab again. 

Dwicky woke up some time later in his car. He had no idea how long he had been sleeping there but it felt like a very long time; he was very stiff. His eyes felt itchy and he rubbed at them absently before looking at his watch and seeing that it was after midnight. He looked around - nothing looked familiar. “Why am I here?” He asked his empty car. “And where is here?” The car didn’t answer.

So he turned on the ignition and pulled out of the small court. He was happy to see that the cross-street was a familiar one and he was home in mere minutes to sleep off his little adventure. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

“Ah, Alex you’re back. We missed you yesterday.” Principal Candice said. They were both just getting out of their cars in the parking lot at school. 

Dwicky looked up at her and saw that she was wearing a very bright magenta sweater and it disagreed with his eye. He blinked a few times then had to look away.

“Yesterday?” He asked, retrieving his things from the car. He couldn’t remember anything that happened yesterday. It’s like it didn’t even happen and now he learned that apparently he didn’t show up to work. Another strange thing was when he awoke this morning his right eye was blind, but he couldn’t remember if it had always been that way. It must be since Candice wasn’t saying anything about him wearing sunglasses.

“Yeah, Zim said you weren’t feeling well. Glad to see you’re feeling better.” Candice smiled.

“Zim called in for me? That’s weird.” Dwicky said, feeling a pressure behind his left eye. 

Candice looked like she was about to say something else then brought a hand to her head with a frown as if she was also feeling some discomfort. She merely shrugged then walked away toward her office without a further word. 

Dwicky took off to his own office, which was in the same direction. For some reason the woman didn’t seem to want to walk together. “Strange woman.” He thought as he followed her.


	7. Chapter 7

“What the fuck!” Dwicky cursed. Every time he had tried to continue his research into Zim’s and Dib’s records he would get a nagging headache. The first time he took some medication and it went away, only to come back as soon as he pulled up the files again. So he decided to rest his eye a bit from looking at the computer screen and turned his lights low. 

Then he had gone for the paper version of the permanent records, which was horribly out of date but still useful. He picked up Dib’s and as soon as his finger merely touched Zim’s the headache came back in full force. He dropped both folders, which made a mess of papers all over the floor, and went for the medication again (even though it hadn’t yet been 4 hours since the last dose). He downed a few more then sat at his desk.

And that is where he was now, eyes closed and massaging his temples. He was a very stubborn man but the pain was intense and he decided not to pursue this anymore right now.

“Maybe I should call one of them in . . . Dib is the more informative of the two.” Dwicky considered then dismissed the idea; they have both been missing a lot of classes lately and he shouldn’t pull them out just for his own curiosity when they didn’t do anything wrong. Besides, knowing those two they will be in his office soon enough. 

But that didn’t happen. It was almost lunchtime and neither boy had been sent to him. It was good he supposed but not when he wanted to see them!

The lunch bell rang and as per usual students filed out of their classrooms and hugged the halls, leaving the corridor free. Dwicky came out of his office and stood in the middle alone, waiting for the pair of hooligans to come running down the hallway. He rubbed at his head again but ignored the dull throb. To his surprise this time when the two students did appear they were walking side-by-side. Dib was obviously teasing Zim; poking him and calling him names, while Zim was trying to ignore him. Though his face showed his irritation and growing anger. But Dwicky could have sworn there was something else in the set of his mouth, something like . . . a ghost of a smile? 

“Does Zim like being teased by Dib?” He wondered and held his hand up, halting the students’ in their path. Behind where Zim and Dib had already passed other students now crossed the hall and continued on with their day, as if nothing worthy of their interest were happening (and it wasn’t). 

“Dib, stop provoking Zim.” Dwicky said authoritatively. Dib’s smile faltered at the admonishment, he then looked a little embarrassed at being confronted for his childish behavior. That made Dwicky smile a bit. “Go to your lockers and get your lunches, then come to my office.” Dwicky ordered. “You can eat there with me. I want to talk to you about something.”

Dib left to do just that, having to go to the other side of the building to get to his locker. Zim stayed and stared at the sunglasses man. He had an unsettling grin on his face.

“Zim, go get your lunch.” Dwicky said, pointing after Dib.

“Zim does not have a lunch.” Zim replied, taking a relaxed stance. 

“Do you buy yours? You can go to the cafeteria and get something if you need to. We’ll wait for you.” Dwicky reasoned. 

“The cafeteria food is revolting; I mean Zim does not eat lunch.” Zim answered. “Zim does not eat at all.” 

“Of course you eat, Zim, you mean you just eat a little bit? Like once a day?” Dwicky asked, putting his hand to his forehead. His headache was worsening again.

“No, never.” Zim said, grin widening. “I never eat, ever. I’m an alien.”

“Ahhh!” Dwicky cried out, grabbing his head in his hands and dropping to his knees. The pain in his head was excruciating and the world dropped away from him. Even breathing was agony. 

“Are you okay?” Dib asked as he trotted back to the two, kneeling down next to Dwicky. He didn’t sound too alarmed but Dwicky didn’t hear him anyway. “Come on, Dwicky, let’s get into your office. The pain will subside if you leave Zim alone.”

Zim giggled to himself as Dib took the counselor by the hand and lead him into his office. While Dib tended to the disoriented man Zim went around and unplugged all of the electronic devices and closed the curtains as was his habit. 

“Have you replaced your cellphone yet?” Zim asked, looking around. Dwicky merely shook his head once and allowed himself to be steered by Dib to his chair. 

“You don’t look so good.” Zim said, mirth in his voice. He plopped down in the chair nearest the window and put his feet up on Dwicky’s desk.

Dib took the other chair. He opened his lunchbox and pulled out some cold pizza and Poop Soda. Zim’s eyes went wide at the site of it and he snatched the soda up, popped the top and guzzled half of the sickly sweet drink down in one gulp. He smacked his lips then burped loudly, quite happy. 

“Okay, sorry about that boys but my head is feeling better.” Dwicky informed them, taking his own lunch out of his desk drawer. He pulled out his pathetic sandwich and took a bite. “Now, I wanted to talk to you both about this . . . cycle . . . you have going on . . . ugh.” Again he put his hand to his head.

“You are very persistent.” Zim said, frowning at the man rubbing his forehead. “Stop asking questions or it will get worse.”

“I will never stop asking questions.” Dwicky said determinedly. “Why is it 3, 7 and 11 weeks?”

“Why is what 3, 7 and 11 weeks?” Zim baited, licking his teeth like the predator he is.

“Your ‘cycle of violence’! You know that’s what I’m asking about.” Dwicky said, eyes closed with pain. He didn’t see Dib give Zim a look of concern.

“What’ll happen if he won’t stop asking questions?” He whispered to his mate.

“I dunno.” Zim answered, not taking his delighted eyes off of the suffering human. “It’s never happened before.” 

“It has to do with the moons around my planet.” Zim answered the counselor. “There are three; small, medium and very large.” 

“Uh-huh.” Dwicky said, determined to take notes through the pain. Even though he knew there was no way this kid is an alien maybe he’d be able to find something out from this story he is telling him. Most lies have an origin in truth, Dwicky firmly believed that.

“Their orbits are irregular and it has an effect on Irk’s revolution.” 

“And Irk is . . . ?” Dwicky asked, trying not to whimper. “. . . the name of your planet?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zim answered, sniggering when Dwicky’s nose started to bleed. He pulled out a tissue to staunch the flow.

“Is pain funny to you?” Dwicky asked, screwing a piece of the tissue up his nostril. He felt sweat dripping down his face and closed his eyes again.

“Oh yes.” Zim said. “It is programmed into our PAKs at birth. It’s what makes Irkens such efficient killers – we don’t care about anyone but ourselves.”

“Hey.” Dib said, hurt. 

“And our mates, of course.” Zim conceded. That seemed to pacify his Human.

“Okay, Dwicky don’t ask any more questions.” Dib said anxiously. The man looked like he was strained to the edge of his sanity. He was sweating and panting and the veins in his neck and head were pulsing. “This is going to kill you.”

“Ask more! ASK ASK ASK!” Zim cheered. “Explode your head!”

“Zim, shut up.” Dib said, smacking the alien on the shoulder. “You won’t understand the cycle, even I don’t. It’s really complicated astronomy and slingshot orbits – Zim tried to explain it to me once and it doesn’t even really make sense.” 

“Yes it does.” Zim replied. “We have days and years just like Earth does, but what marks our time passage is not just the rotation or revolution around one sun and with small inefficient moon, our moons affect our gravity more which affects our revolution so our time is not linear. It makes perfect sense.” 

“It really doesn’t.” Dib insisted but decided to drop it there. Zim could argue for hours, in fact he loved to argue and for once Dib didn’t want to get into it. Dib watched as the counselor dropped his pencil when his hands began to tremble. 

“What else would you like to know?” Zim asked, prompting Dwicky to continue.

“Zim, stop this now. You can make him stop.” Dib insisted, standing up in his worry. 

“Why?” Zim asked innocently. “He has a right to know these things. I think he’s earned it.”

“This is going to cause brain damage or something. And you never give rewards, you are just doing this to make him hurt for your amusement and it’s wrong!”

“That’s what he’s earned; my amusement.” Zim explained. “What else do you want to know?” He asked the unsteady older man. Dwicky reached for his mug of water but just ended up knocking it on the floor. 

“Why do you get . . . violent then?” He managed to ask.

“That’s my fault.” Dib spoke up, realizing he wouldn’t stop until he got the information he wanted so he wanted to get it over with. “I bother him as much as I can during those times because –“

Zim grabbed his shoulder. “Don’t give the information up so freely, make him ask!” Zim said, drunk on the other man’s pain now.

“Because the angrier he gets the more receptive he gets.” Dib continued, shrugging off Zim’s hand. 

“Receptive?” Dwicky pressed.

“Yes, and when he’s really pissed off and the time is right he’ll accept me.” Dib finished, face burning in embarrassment. “Zim, you need to undo whatever it is you did, seriously!”

“I can’t undo the surgery.” Zim said, way too calm for the situation in Dib’s opinion. 

“Surgery?” Dib repeated. “What did you . . . wait.” Something came together in his head at that moment. “Why is he wearing sunglasses indoors?”

“Fashion choice?” Zim tried quickly, knowing full well that Dib was about to get very mad at him.

“I don’t always?” Dwicky said, asking something that gained him a momentary reprieve from his aching head.

Dib reached over and snatched the sunglasses from Dwicky’s face. He gasped when he saw that his right pupil was completely fogged over.

“Zim! I can’t believe you did this again!” Dib yelled, turning on his smaller mate. “You promised you wouldn’t after the last counselor went blind!”

“This was an accident!” Zim defended himself. “The stupid man kept screaming and pissing me off, I was bound to mess up the surgery with all of that noise in my lekku!”

“Give him an implant!” Dib ordered.

“No! I can’t waste superior Irken technology on an inferior being!” Zim yelled back. 

“You’ve done it before, you can do it again!” Dib argued.

“Last time was an emergency!” Zim asserted. “And the recipient perished so I was able to reclaim them, what if someone discovers it in this one? I will be exposed!”

“Zim -!”

“Is that what you want? Zim exposed?!” Zim insisted, eyes becoming wet. “So you can do your autopsies and experiments on him? Would you like that?!”

“No, of course not.” Dib said, calming down. Zim’s tantrum taking the entirety of his attention now. “I told you I no longer want that. I just want you.” Dib came and put his arms around Zim’s shaking frame. Dib got to hug his cute little mate for about 10 seconds before Zim became enraged and pushed him away.

“Get off! I told you Zim desires no lover!” 

“Right, right. Sorry.” Dib granted, moving away.

“Okay, that’s enough. You can go back to class.” Dwicky finally conceded, just wanting to lay his head on the cold desktop. He had to grab another tissue when his other nostril started to bleed.

“Awww, and we were having so much fun.” Zim said, sarcastic. Dib glowered at him. “Fine, but just one more thing.” An arm came out of his PAK with a bowl at the end. Before anyone could say anything else it attached itself to Dwicky’s head and then everything went white.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Dwicky woke up at his desk, a ringing in his ears. “I fell asleep?” He wondered out loud. He saw his sunglasses sitting on the table and picked them up, setting them back on his nose without thinking of even doing it. He looked at his watch and saw that it was time to go home so he stood and collected his things. Just as he was about to walk out the door the bell rang. He felt a strange numbness come over him then and when he did leave his office he stood against the wall quietly with all of the other students who were coming out of their classrooms. 

Suddenly Dib Membrane came running down the hallway, holding Zim’s bookbag in his hands. He yelled something which Dwicky didn’t hear and then was followed closely behind by Zim (whatever his last name is). The two ran off into the parking lot and beyond but Dwicky didn’t watch. He waited patiently and once they were gone he walked to his car quietly. He passed several of the faculty members on his way and they were also all walking quietly with their heads down, including Principal McNally, but they said nothing to each other. They each got in their cars and simply drove away.


End file.
